During an audience on December 18th with Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes, Pope Francis approved the decrees recognizing their heroic virtues of Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.

Father Peyton, known worldwide as “The Rosary Priest,” was a Catholic media pioneer in the 1940s, using radio and later television to produce popular programs featuring Hollywood stars and other celebrities to promote family prayer. His ministry produced more than 600 radio and television programs and 10,000 broadcasts. The priest also conducted rosary crusades for millions of people in dozens of countries. He had two especially famous mottos: “The family that prays together stays together” and “A world at prayer is a world at peace.” He founded Holy Cross Family Ministries, which includes Family Rosary, Family Theater Productions, Father Peyton Family Institute and Family Rosary International.

Father Peyton died in 1992. After the pope’s decree recognizing his heroic virtues, in general, a miracle is needed for his beatification and a second one for his canonization.